The present invention relates generally to telephony switching and more particularly to a system and method for integrated telephony switching.
Telephony systems connect many different types of equipment having a variety of communication protocols, such as Internet protocol (IP) telephony devices and time division multiplexed (TDM) telephony devices. At the heart of telephony systems, switches provide the mechanism for connecting telephone calls. These switches interface with varied telephony devices using different communication protocols.
Modern telephony systems increasingly use both the traditional TDM protocols and IP communications. Newer telephony equipment often controls both IP and TDM trunks connected to switches linked to telephony networks. However, many legacy applications still interface with switches using equipment designed before the introduction of IP telephony. These applications do not recognize or understand modern protocols such as IP.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for integrated telephony switching is provided which substantially eliminates or reduces disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In a particular embodiment, the present invention satisfies a need for a switch that integrates connections to legacy applications and modern applications using the same switching fabric.
According to one embodiment of the invention, an integrated telephony switching system includes a first application operable to control a first resource using a first protocol, a second application operable to control a second resource using a second protocol, and a hybrid switch. The hybrid switch includes a switching matrix coupled to the first resource and the second resource, a resource emulator, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal from the first application using the first protocol, the first signal comprising an origin indicating the first resource and a destination indicating the resource emulator. The controller also receives a second signal from the second application using the second protocol. The second signal comprising an origin indicating the resource emulator and a destination indicating the second resource. Furthermore, the controller connects the first resource and the second resource using the switching matrix.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for integrated telephony switching receives a first connection request from a first controller, the first connection request requesting a connection between a first resource coupled to a switching matrix and a resource emulation module. The method also receives a second connection request from a second controller, the second connection request requesting a connection between the resource emulation module and a second resource coupled to the switching matrix. The method also connects the first resource and the second resource using the switching matrix.
The invention provides a number of technical advantages. The system provides a method for connecting TDM and packet-based resources on a single switching matrix. The system also allows resources controlled by multiple applications connected to a single switch to be connected as though they were owned and controlled by a single application. Moreover, the system provides backward compatibility with legacy applications, allowing them to interface with modern equipment without the need for updates or upgrades.
Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.